1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to amusement devices or toys and more specifically to aerial flying ring devices.
2. Prior Art
There have been numerous prior aerial gliding rings. A gliding ring is defined as a light weight closed-figure airfoil, having a weight of less than 10 grams per square centimeter of airfoil surface, which when thrown with a spinning motion and a speed of less than 30 meters per second, will glide, supported by aerodynamic lift produced by the flow of air over its surface. Some of these prior devices are listed below
U.S. Pat. No. 248,901--Wetherill PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 708,519--Bradshaw PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,580--Wark & Schladermundt PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,518--LeBaron PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,945--Turney PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,122--English PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,822--Rodgers PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,834--De Martino PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 253,004--Meckstroth PA1 U.S. Patent application filed 1/16/79 Ser. No. 3,992--Adler (now Pat. No. 4,456,265) PA1 U.K. Pat. No. 2031745--English
Bradshaw, Wark & Schladermundt, English, Meckstroth, and English (U.K.) all disclose rings which are formed with one or more downwardly depending flanges. De Martino discloses a stick-propelled ring which is comprised of a thin flat ring-portion with adjoining, thicker, rounded inner and outer edges. Wetherill, Turney, LeBaron, Rodgers and Adler disclose rings without flanges. The LeBaron ring is preferably rubber-band launched without spin.
Bradshaw, Wark & Schladermundt, and English discuss the necessity of the downwardly depending flanges to achieve stable flight. Turney and Rodgers achieve stable flight by means of airfoils substantially thicker than those disclosed by the other inventors. De Martino states that his edges are rounded for safety and to achieve laminar airflow.
With the exception of the Adler design, the above rings have relatively short flight distances.
Adler (who is also the present inventor) achieved stable flight by means of an angled airfoil. The Adler invention was marketed under the trademark Skyro and is cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest throw of an inert heavier than air object (857 feet 8 inches).
The Adler invention achieved long distance by having much lower aerodynamic drag than previous gliding rings. The Adler design employs an angled airfoil to produce stable flight. The Adler specification discloses an equation (3) for the airfoil angle which shows that the optimum angle is proportional to the inverse of the "intended flight velocity" squared. When this device flies at velocities below or above the "intended flight velocity" it will bank either to the left or the right.